A truck driver lost his life in Dallas last night when he collided with a crane that had been sent to remove a statue of Confederate general Robert E. Lee.
Crane to be used in Robert E. Lee statue removal involved in fatal crash https://t.co/jpiXd1n5dr pic.twitter.com/kkS8EQEh0j
— WFAA-TV (@wfaachannel8) September 11, 2017
Trucker Killed In Crash Near Downtown Dallas
The crash happened around 8:20 a.m. near downtown Dallas at S.M. Wright Freeway and Linfield Road.
From a release from the city of Dallas’s Public Information Office:
“According to an independent witness, the crane was traveling northbound in the 7700 block of SM Wright Freeway turning left onto the 4200 block of Linfield Road with a green arrow. The driver of a semi-truck was travelling southbound on SM Wright Freeway at a very high rate of speed and failed to yield the right of way, colliding into the crane.”
The truck driver died at the scene.
The crane driver was not seriously hurt in the crash.
City officials in Dallas had voted to remove the 81 year old statue last Wednesday and hoped to have it removed as soon as possible, but they had trouble finding a crane. Following the crash, which badly damaged the crane, it is unclear when the statue will be removed.
Cause of Crash Remains Under Investigation
Though the crash remains under investigation, city manager T.C. Broadnax stated in a news conference that early eye witness testimony suggests that the truck driver ran a red light.